‘Hammered’ drunk driver could hardly walk before horror crash that killed dad and daughter

A drunk driver who died with his daughter in a horror crash was “hammered” and unable to walk straight before he got behind the wheel. The partner of Daniel Roberts has told how she urged him to drive slowly as he shot down the Flintshire corridor in Wales, at times reaching 100mph. Jennifer Vale told an inquest in Ruthin, North Wales, that she had told him “that’s enough now” as he reached the extreme speed, but he had refused to slow down.

The dad, 34, and his daughter Lucie Jade, 13, died when the car crashed after failing to navigate a curve in the road, with three others injured after he lost control. The car crashed sideways through a wire fence, across a car park, and into the wall of a fitness centre. CCTV footage played at the inquest showed the shock incident on A548 at Bagillt, Flintshire, in the early hours of April 22, 2022.

In a statement read by John Gittins, senior coroner for North Wales East and Central, Ms Vale said they had been to two houses of family members the previous evening and left at about 2am. The inquest heard that the group – which included two of Lucie Jade’s teenage friends – got into a BMW that belonged to Mr Roberts’ brother. He had asked Mr Roberts to repair the car, but was not given permission to drive it when he got behind the wheel.

Ms Vale said her partner did not seem drunk but drove at very high speed along the A548. Two of Lucie’s friends, who were sitting with her in the rear, told police that he had been “necking it” at the relative’s house. One 14-year-old, who was not named, said that Mr Roberts, who was known as “Danny”, always liked driving fast.

She said: “He just didn’t care.” Another teenager said she closed her eyes and told him: “Slow down please, you’re scaring me”. CCTV showed the moment Mr Roberts, of Northop Road, Flint, lost control of the car on a slight right-hand curve in the road, and it careered sideways before hitting the wall of the Lyons Den Fitness Centre. He suffered major head injuries, and was certified dead at the scene.

A post-mortem examination revealed that he had 104 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, the legal limit being 80, and had cocaine in his system which was over the drug-drive limit. Lucie, who had been sitting in the middle of the back seat and wearing a seatbelt, died shortly after arriving at Glan Clwyd Hospital. Her inquest will be held on July 24.

Collision investigators found no mechanical defects on the vehicle and road conditions were good.

The coroner recorded a conclusion of a road traffic collision.